Our Mission

For more than 125 years, NLU’s mission and values have focused on providing students with access to high-quality education in an environment of innovative teaching, scholarship and community engagement.

History

Founded in 1886 by education pioneer Elizabeth Harrison, NLU has a rich history, growing from one of the first “teacher of teachers” into a contemporary university committed to innovation and best practices in its three colleges.

Partnerships

NLU faculty and students collaborate in dozens of local and regional partnerships, promoting education as the engine of prosperity and social justice in communities that need it most.

A Pioneering History

National Louis University was founded on the principle that a quality education can transform lives, careers and communities. More than 125 years ago, education pioneer and social reformer Elizabeth Harrison opened a kindergarten training school to promote early childhood education, then considered a radical idea. Harrison’s groundbreaking work helped launch the National Parent-Teacher Association and the Head Start program, and the National College of Education (NCE) became the first university in Illinois to offer a four-year teaching degree. Thanks to a large donation from philanthropist Michael W. Louis, the school added two more colleges and became National Louis University in 1990.

NLU Today

A lot has changed in the past 125 years, but the mission of NLU remains the same: to provide an education that makes a difference. We serve more than 8,000 students at seven locations in Illinois, Wisconsin and Florida, and at our global business school in Nowy Sacz, Poland. We work hard to improve schools and businesses through community partnerships and applied research. And we are proud of the 65,000 living alumni who are using their NLU education to serve others.

CHICAGO DOWNTOWN CAMPUS

NLU’s Chicago campus on South Michigan Avenue occupies five floors of the historic Peoples Gas Building. This landmark building, across the street from the Art Institute of Chicago and Grant Park, is easily accessible by train, bus and car and is surrounded by restaurants, parking lots/garages and shops.

ELGIN

Conveniently located in a fast-growing business district off I-90 and Route 31, NLU Elgin features 10 classrooms with high-tech media equipment; a computer lab with high-speed Internet access; two conference rooms; and comfortable student lounges. Parking is free at this recently remodeled and upgraded teaching site, which now includes wireless Internet access.

NORTH SHORE

Opened in the summer of 2006, NLU North Shore at Skokie is a state-of-the-art modern campus located just off the Edens Expressway near the Old Orchard Shopping Center. The campus includes 44 wireless classrooms equipped with high-tech media equipment; four computer labs with high-speed Internet access, including a walk-in lab in the library; six conference rooms; a public café for beverages and snacks; a student welcome center; a library for research and study; and multiple, comfortable student lounge areas.

LISLE

Located just minutes from the East-West Tollway (I-88), NLU Lisle features 42 wireless classrooms equipped with high-tech media equipment; four computer labs with high-speed Internet access, including a separate walk-in lab in the library; a café for beverages and snacks; a student welcome center; a library for research and study; conference rooms; and six comfortable student lounge areas with wireless access.

WHEELING

Located in one of Chicago's major northwest suburbs, the newly renovated NLU Wheeling includes 20 classrooms with high-tech media equipment, four conference rooms, four computer labs with high-speed Internet access, large student lounge areas with wireless capabilities and interactive video capabilities, and an extensive research library. The site also houses the university library research collection.

FLORIDA (TAMPA)

Established in 1988 and located in one of the city's major business districts, NLU's Florida Regional Center serves students in 13 counties in central Florida. In addition to six classrooms, this location features a conference room, a computer lab with high-speed Internet access, an extensive research library and comfortable student lounges.

WISCONSIN

NLU has a proud history of serving graduate students in southeastern Wisconsin. We currently offer all Wisconsin residents online programs in non-licensure education as well as a variety of business-related degrees.